LETTER: China headed toward an oligarchy

P.J. MillerMunford

Published: Sunday, January 19, 2014 at 8:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, January 19, 2014 at 8:31 p.m.

Dear Editor: My opinions and ideas written here come from what I’ve read in past history and recent history books. On top of that I also read magazines like Time, Fortune, Bromberg Business Week and others. I’m up on more information about our country and society than the average U.S. citizen, who hasn’t read a history book since high school. I also watch and listen to CSPAN a great deal.

I think when the Soviet Union lost its empire because of the Afghanistan War (known as the graveyard of empires) and their revolution of 1989, the Russian people thought they would vote in a democratic state and government. When the smoke cleared and they voted, many of the Russian ex-

communist leaders managed to swing the government to a government very much like an oligarchy — where a group of businessmen took power. Even an ex-KGB person was voted in as president.

China seems to be headed in the same direction, not by a revolution like Russia but a slow transition into an oligarchy that leans heavily on big business as a powerhouse of government control of the common folks. China may have noticed what happened in Russia, where an oligarchy can rule over the common people with a bit of honey propaganda instead of a whip, gun or noose.

Where did they get the idea that an oligarchy can rule and manage the common people and make a good profit with power to boot? Maybe the passage of time will tell.

<p>Dear Editor: My opinions and ideas written here come from what I've read in past history and recent history books. On top of that I also read magazines like Time, Fortune, Bromberg Business Week and others. I'm up on more information about our country and society than the average U.S. citizen, who hasn't read a history book since high school. I also watch and listen to CSPAN a great deal. </p><p>I think when the Soviet Union lost its empire because of the Afghanistan War (known as the graveyard of empires) and their revolution of 1989, the Russian people thought they would vote in a democratic state and government. When the smoke cleared and they voted, many of the Russian ex-</p><p>communist leaders managed to swing the government to a government very much like an oligarchy — where a group of businessmen took power. Even an ex-KGB person was voted in as president. </p><p>China seems to be headed in the same direction, not by a revolution like Russia but a slow transition into an oligarchy that leans heavily on big business as a powerhouse of government control of the common folks. China may have noticed what happened in Russia, where an oligarchy can rule over the common people with a bit of honey propaganda instead of a whip, gun or noose.</p><p>Where did they get the idea that an oligarchy can rule and manage the common people and make a good profit with power to boot? Maybe the passage of time will tell.</p>